Introduction INTRODDUCTION 1.1 WHY THESE GUIDELINES ARE NEEDED the Maribyrnong River Is One of Melbourne’S Most Treasured and Well-Used Rivers

Introduction INTRODDUCTION 1.1 WHY THESE GUIDELINES ARE NEEDED The Maribyrnong River is one of Melbourne’s most treasured and well-used rivers. Thousands of Melburnians spend time exercising and relaxing along it every day – from its source above the Organ Pipes National Park through Keilor, Essendon, Footscray and Yarraville to where it meets the Yarra River near the West Gate Bridge. Coordinated planning is essential to protect The Guidelines will be introduced as a and enhance the Maribyrnong River’s natural reference document into all relevant planning and built environment for current and future schemes and reflected in council Municipal generations. Strategic Statements. The Maribyrnong River Valley Design Guidelines Maribyrnong River Valley Design Guidelines are intended as an overarching framework is the result of extensive collaboration to achieve planning consistency along the river between all of the major agencies with valley. The main purpose of the Guidelines planning responsibility for the river, including is to protect open space and guide the Department of Planning and Community development along the river, as well as Development, Parks Victoria, Melbourne expand and link existing parkland, walking Water, the Port of Melbourne Corporation paths and cycling trails. and the five local councils through which the river runs (Brimbank, Hume, Maribyrnong, This report sets out a broad vision for the built Melbourne and Moonee Valley). form and landscape of the river valley and presents a range of priority actions for further Within its pages are design guidelines for river work from the Organ Pipes National Park right health, habitat protection, heritage, parks and through to the river mouth. This includes the recreation, tourism and planning. The overall Hume and Brimbank Green Wedges which are aim is to provide greater certainty and clarity outside the current Urban Growth Boundary. on development and a consistent approach Priority actions over the next five years include to the protection of the Maribyrnong River. capital works, planning scheme amendments, enlarging the open space corridor, further MARIBYRNONG RIVER VALLEY DESIGN GUIDELINES MARIBYRNONG RIVER VALLEY detailed planning and community engagement. In addition to these priority actions, this report includes a detailed set of design guidelines, which apply only to the river’s urban length from the Urban Growth Boundary to the river mouth. They do not cover the Hume and Brimbank Green Wedges, which are predominantly rural in character. These design guidelines are intended to influence the form of proposed buildings and works along the river and to inform prospective developers, land managers, landowners and the wider community. 12 1.2 POLICY CONTEXT This report sets out Maribyrnong River Valley Design Guidelines is informed by three major areas of a broad vision for Victorian planning policy: Melbourne 2030: Planning for Sustainable Growth, the the built form and State Planning Policy Framework and five Municipal Strategic Statements. landscape of the river valley and presents Melbourne 2030 a range of priority The Victorian Government’s long-term strategy for metropolitan Melbourne, actions for further Melbourne 2030, and the related planning update, Melbourne @ 5 million, are work from the Organ the overarching planning policies for all urban development in Melbourne. Pipes National Park These two planning documents outline how the Victorian Government will right through to the meet the housing needs of the city’s growing population – projected to river mouth. increase by 1.8 million people between 2006 and 2036 to 5.5 million – while still maintaining high quality services and preserving Melbourne’s extensive and prized open space network. One of Melbourne 2030’s major policies (5.7) is to “rectify gaps in the network of metropolitan open space by creating new parks and ensuring major open space corridors are protected and enhanced”. A number of initiatives are set out under this policy including creating four continuous open space links and trails in Melbourne, one of these along the Maribyrnong River. Melbourne 2030 also proposes reviewing the adequacy of planning controls related to the Yarra and Maribyrnong rivers to ensure long-term protection of open space and conservation values. Among other initiatives, it specifies adding to the recreational and tourism potential of the Yarra and Maribyrnong river corridors by: > identifying and completing high priority infrastructure, landscaping works and enhancement of pedestrian and bicycle trail links along the lower Maribyrnong River > completing links between the Maribyrnong Trail and Bay Trail at Williamstown. 13 INTRODDUCTION State Planning Policy Framework 1.3 OVERVIEW OF THE RIVER Also informing the development of these Major physical features guidelines is the State Planning Policy The Maribyrnong River Valley was formed over Framework, and in particular millions of years, with water eroding through Clause 14.02-2. the basalt plains west of Melbourne to create This clause states that environmentally a complex landscape of gorges and river flats. sensitive areas of Melbourne with significant Its topography can be simplified into three recreational value such as the Maribyrnong basic areas: River should “be protected from development > the flat basalt plain hinterland which would diminish their environmental, > the valley escarpment conservation or recreation values”. > the floodplain and valley flats. Municipal Strategic Statements The river has eroded gorges up to 55 metres All relevant local councils with planning deep in the basalt plain. Six thousand years responsibility for the Maribyrnong River also ago sea levels were substantially higher than recognise and acknowledge its importance in today and the whole of the present day river their Municipal Strategic Statements. flats was covered by water. The range of issues covered in the existing Flooding Municipal Strategic Statements of Brimbank, The Maribyrnong River is Melbourne’s second Hume, Maribyrnong, Melbourne and Moonee largest waterway. It has a catchment of some Valley councils include: 1,400 square kilometres, stretching from the > protecting public access to parkland Macedon Ranges to Port Phillip Bay. > developing new parks and open space The Maribyrnong River has a history of flooding > completing linear pathways dating back to the 1880s, with the largest flood > protecting vegetation and natural features recorded in 1906. The depth, duration and flow > conserving water resources and managing characteristics of flooding vary greatly along stormwater the river in any particular flood event. Flooding > facilitating specific uses in nominated from the river poses an ongoing safety and locations property damage hazard. > managing development in the floodplain There are currently about 250 residential and > managing the scale, siting and bulk of new about 55 industrial and commercial properties developments in the Maribyrnong River Valley within the Maribyrnong River floodplain. It is to protect significant features essential to continue to manage development > preparing and updating park masterplans. in the floodplain of the river. Melbourne Water is the floodplain management authority for the Melbourne metropolitan region. All developments referred to Melbourne Water are assessed to ensure MARIBYRNONG RIVER VALLEY DESIGN GUIDELINES MARIBYRNONG RIVER VALLEY that new development does not increase the risk to public safety, or increase the risk of damage to property resulting from a flood. 14 The Maribyrnong River Open space Valley offers a wide The Maribyrnong River Valley offers a wide range of public open space and range of public open recreational opportunities to residents and visitors. space and recreational A number of important public parks are situated along the river including opportunities to Brimbank Park and Horseshoe Bend Farm, situated approximately 15km residents and visitors. north-west of Melbourne in Keilor East. These parklands offer ideal settings for picnics, walking, fishing, canoeing and bird watching. Other important parks along the river include Canning Reserve, Fairbairn Park, Pipemakers Park, Footscray Park and Newells Paddock Wetlands. Formal open space areas and sporting grounds are found on the river flats at Aberfeldie Park and Maribyrnong Park. A range of commercial vessels and water taxis operate on the river as well as private and club-based recreational vessels. Several rowing and canoe clubs have facilities along the river’s edge and the river is increasingly popular for angling. There are also a number of private jetties along the river providing exclusive access to the water. Natural assets The Maribyrnong River Valley supports a variety of remnant vegetation, flora and fauna. The upper lengths of the river valley include remnant native grasslands, escarpment shrublands and riparian woodlands, which are home to threatened flora species such as the Slender Tick-trefoil (Desmodium varians) and the Tough Scurf-pea (Cullen tenax). The river valley also supports a range of migratory and resident bird species including Egrets, Herons and many species of ducks. There are also records of Galaxias, Australian Grayling, Common Long-necked Tortoise and Platypus in the river. Brushtail Possums, Echidnas, Gould’s Wattled Bats, Growling Grass Frogs and Striped Legless Lizards are just some of the mammals, frogs and reptiles that live in the valley. 15 INTRODDUCTION Heritage Urban development The Maribyrnong River has played a major role

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